Manchester, UK - Manchester Arena (Aug. 20, 2016) post-show

Post your info and reviews related to this concert in the comments section below. Other links (photos, external reviews, etc.) related to this concert will also be compiled in this section as they are sent in.

Setlist:

Suedehead / Alma Matters / All You Need Is Me / You Have Killed Me / Ganglord / Speedway / Istanbul / World Peace Is None Of Your Business / Kiss Me A Lot / I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris / Ouija Board, Ouija Board / Everyday Is Like Sunday / The Bullfighter Dies / Meat Is Murder / It's Hard To Walk Tall When You're Small / Jack The Ripper / One Of Our Own / The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores / I Will See You In Far-Off Places / What She Said / Oboe Concerto // Irish Blood, English Heart

setlist provided by Sarcasmos, corrections by BennyandBrummiearec*nts.

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• Morrissey review – bloodied but unbowed by Dave Simpson (4 of 5 stars) - The Guardian. Link posted by Uncleskinny.
• Review: Morrissey at Manchester Arena by Sarah Walters, (4 of 5 stars, 3 photos by Eddie Garvey) - Manchester Evening News. Link posted by docinwestchester.
• Morrissey: Manchester Arena – live review by Nigel Carr (11 photos by Melanie Smith) - Louder Than War. Link posted by @louderthanwar / Twitter.
• Watch Morrissey get called a 'c*nt' after failing to pay tribute to David Bowie - NME.com. Link from Rene.
• Morrissey - Manchester Arena - 20th August 2016 review (7 photos) - Even The Stars. Link posted by oneofthethree.
• Why Morrissey has the most loyal fanbase in the music industry - Manchester Evening News. Link posted by Calamine Lotion (original post).
  
• Morrissey in Manchester Arena 20.08.16 by SER (video footage, clips, 1:09) - Sep. 8, 2016
  
  
  
  
• Photos by efsb / Flickr (37 total). Link posted by EFSB.
  
  
  
  
  
• Photo from tweet by @sophieleigh01 / Twitter. Link posted by docinwestchester.
  
  
  
• Photo from tweet by @Paul__Husband / Twitter (3 total).
  
  
  

 

[mozmal]

the entire upper bowl was empty, reason they likely left the light off, so it wouldnt be noticed. but on twitter you can clearly see the vast empty spaces of empty, entire swaths with nobody.
also comments made that at some point they were not checking tix, just every walkabout was allowed in.
dont know if its true but would not be surprised, im sure an effort to fill the empty bowl.

You're delusional! The place was around 95% full

 

[mozmal]

It's a hierarchy. If you prove your Cult delusionality you get preferential treatment as you become a front-of-house stage prop to bolster Morrissey's performance. The List are to Morrissey's performance as Viagra is to the sex antics of many a man his age. Without his cult devotees who've swallowed their little blue pill Morrissey can't get it up to perform and sulks.

It's his equivalent of The Golden Circle at other gigs. But if Morrissey had had a golden circle ticket last night charging £150 it would have been an entirely empty space as the nutcases who are on The List are mentally ill trustafarians who have to watch their cash after years of delusionally following Dear Leader across the globe and the rest of The Audience would just laugh at the idea of paying £150 for 75 minutes of The Smiths Karaoke Tribute Act Morrissey. Madonna, maybe, because she does all that Cirque du Soleil nonsense but not Dad pub rock singer Morrissey who just stands there or emotes like a silly puff in his frilly shirts. At least this time he put his hand in his pocket and paid for side screens so The Poor folk in the upper reaches could see him...WAIT! The upper reaches were empty...LOL!

Once again - total nonsense from 'BullshitBoy' I was there, the place was packed.

 

[Surface]

the entire upper bowl was empty, reason they likely left the light off, so it wouldnt be noticed. but on twitter you can clearly see the vast empty spaces of empty, entire swaths with nobody.
also comments made that at some point they were not checking tix, just every walkabout was allowed in.
dont know if its true but would not be surprised, im sure an effort to fill the empty bowl.

Crikey didn't know that, thanks for letting us know.

 

[Uncleskinny]

This Guardian review...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/21/morrissey-review-manchester-arena-throat-bandage-blood

...contains a description of a very puzzling episode:

"...So eyebrows are raised when he strides on wearing a medical dressing just beneath his throat. The singer has used such items as stage props before – he wore a hearing aid on Top of the Pops in 1984 – but intrigue becomes alarm as blood seeps through the dressing.

At first, Morrissey seems unaware of this development, which unfortunately occurs during Speedway’s lyrics about being greeted by a hearse. Nor is this the best moment for some plucky stage invader to grab him by the neck, after which the singer pulls his lapels together to hide the now blood-soaked bandage. However, when it suddenly falls off, there isn’t a visible mark on him. It’s hard to know whether this is this the latest in a career of memorable theatrical gestures or whether the man is truly suffering for his art."

 

[EFSB]

My photos from last night taken with the trusty Olympus Stylus 1. Share, repost and credit, but don't steal - thank you!


https://flickr.com/photos/75011423@N00/sets/72157671779165172

 

[Anonymous]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/21/morrissey-review-manchester-arena-throat-bandage-blood

"Boxers, about police brutality, is particularly prescient"

Err....A) 'Boxers' has nothing to do with police brutality, and B) he didn't play it. What drugs is this reviewer on, and where can I get them?

 

[mozmal]

"Boxers, about police brutality, is particularly prescient" Hmm, I didn't actually hear Boxers last night, think Dave Simpson actually means Ganglord.

This Guardian review...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/21/morrissey-review-manchester-arena-throat-bandage-blood

...contains a description of a very puzzling episode:

"...So eyebrows are raised when he strides on wearing a medical dressing just beneath his throat. The singer has used such items as stage props before – he wore a hearing aid on Top of the Pops in 1984 – but intrigue becomes alarm as blood seeps through the dressing.

At first, Morrissey seems unaware of this development, which unfortunately occurs during Speedway’s lyrics about being greeted by a hearse. Nor is this the best moment for some plucky stage invader to grab him by the neck, after which the singer pulls his lapels together to hide the now blood-soaked bandage. However, when it suddenly falls off, there isn’t a visible mark on him. It’s hard to know whether this is this the latest in a career of memorable theatrical gestures or whether the man is truly suffering for his art."

 

[Anonymous]

You're delusional! The place was around 95% full

LOL here we go again.
first it was completely and totally packed to the rafters, you could hardly move etc
now we are down to 95 percent, with people moving about with lots of room.
lets get down to around 65 percent so we can pinpoint the truth.

 

[solotwitter]

 

[mozmal]

My photos from last night taken with the trusty Olympus Stylus 1. Share, repost and credit, but don't steal - thank you!


https://flickr.com/photos/75011423@N00/sets/72157671779165172

Some very nice shots indeed. Great work.

 

[Anonymous]

This Guardian review...

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/21/morrissey-review-manchester-arena-throat-bandage-blood

...contains a description of a very puzzling episode:

"...So eyebrows are raised when he strides on wearing a medical dressing just beneath his throat. The singer has used such items as stage props before – he wore a hearing aid on Top of the Pops in 1984 – but intrigue becomes alarm as blood seeps through the dressing.

At first, Morrissey seems unaware of this development, which unfortunately occurs during Speedway’s lyrics about being greeted by a hearse. Nor is this the best moment for some plucky stage invader to grab him by the neck, after which the singer pulls his lapels together to hide the now blood-soaked bandage. However, when it suddenly falls off, there isn’t a visible mark on him. It’s hard to know whether this is this the latest in a career of memorable theatrical gestures or whether the man is truly suffering for his art."

 

[Anonymous]

"Boxers, about police brutality, is particularly prescient" Hmm, I didn't actually hear Boxers last night, think Dave Simpson actually means Ganglord.

Yes and this supposed incident he describes happened during Istanbul and not Speedway.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been to about 20 Morrissey gigs and none of them have been as lively as last night near the front. The crowd certainly weren't dead where I was! People were getting crushed and trampled on, with quite a few having to leave over the barrier being unable to cope. I lost my glasses due to a crowd surfer very early on in the gig and could no longer see clearly, I found them in pieces at the end - along with someone's shoe.

Also, how do the front row get access to the venue before everyone else? I was at the front of the que to enter the arena and then also to enter the standing area, only to find about two rows of people already at the stage. Most of them were Spanish along with the irregular regulars, they had different wristbands to the rest of us.

They were queuing from Friday morning (I know people got there 6am but there was someone got there thurs night) they have a list and venue took that and made sure they got in first

 

[mozmal]

LOL here we go again.
first it was completely and totally packed to the rafters, you could hardly move etc
now we are down to 95 percent, with people moving about with lots of room.
lets get down to around 65 percent so we can pinpoint the truth.

I'd describe 95% as being 'packed'. Nobody has said it was totally sold-out.

 

[wexford heart]

A lot of smoke during Jack the Ripper!

'One of our own' was the only lull, otherwise a great gig.

One of our Own is a great song. 'Lull'? That's emotion.

 

[Anonymous]

I've been to about 20 Morrissey gigs and none of them have been as lively as last night near the front. The crowd certainly weren't dead where I was! People were getting crushed and trampled on, with quite a few having to leave over the barrier being unable to cope. I lost my glasses due to a crowd surfer very early on in the gig and could no longer see clearly, I found them in pieces at the end - along with someone's shoe.

Also, how do the front row get access to the venue before everyone else? I was at the front of the que to enter the arena and then also to enter the standing area, only to find about two rows of people already at the stage. Most of them were Spanish along with the irregular regulars, they had different wristbands to the rest of us.

They get there by camping out the night before & knowing someone in production...

 

[Uncleskinny]

Yes and this supposed incident he describes happened during Istanbul and not Speedway.

What's puzzling here are the two alternative explanations:

1) That the reporter is misreporting the 'incident', though you say it happened, and during Istanbul; and that he didn't see the full incident, and that Moz is ill, and has an injury.
2) For some reason, it's a fake bandage and fake blood as a prop.

Neither is a good outcome from a Morrissey point of view.

 

[Anonymous]

What's puzzling here are the two alternative explanations:

1) That the reporter is misreporting the 'incident', though you say it happened, and during Istanbul; and that he didn't see the full incident, and that Moz is ill, and has an injury.
2) For some reason, it's a fake bandage and fake blood as a prop.

Neither is a good outcome from a Morrissey point of view.

I posted the Istanbul video where the stage invader grabs Moz. So this must be the scene he is describing. And he reports something that isn't there. I see no blood. Maybe other people do but not me.

 

[I_Am_A_Disco_Dancer]

What's puzzling here are the two alternative explanations:

1) That the reporter is misreporting the 'incident', though you say it happened, and during Istanbul; and that he didn't see the full incident, and that Moz is ill, and has an injury.
2) For some reason, it's a fake bandage and fake blood as a prop.

Neither is a good outcome from a Morrissey point of view.

Maybe he had to have a biopsy done laproscopically? The incision would be small but it can seep. That may explain also the battery of blood tests he mentions in that interview.

And thanks everyone for the reviews and pics

 

[Bluebirds]

What's puzzling here are the two alternative explanations:

1) That the reporter is misreporting the 'incident', though you say it happened, and during Istanbul; and that he didn't see the full incident, and that Moz is ill, and has an injury.
2) For some reason, it's a fake bandage and fake blood as a prop.

Neither is a good outcome from a Morrissey point of view.

Why would the latter not be a good outcome? Morrissey has always pissed about with silly stage accoutrements - plasters, hearing aids and around the time of Southpaw Grammar he was going full whacko with the beaten up look.

However one fears with recent maladies they could genuinely be required